


Unbecoming an Officer

by sarken



Category: Third Watch
Genre: F/M, Juvenilia, One Night Stands, Sexual Assault, Slut-Shaming
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2003-04-28
Updated: 2003-04-28
Packaged: 2017-10-23 04:59:36
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,657
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/246506
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sarken/pseuds/sarken
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Bosco overreacts when he hears DK bragging about sleeping with Faith.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Unbecoming an Officer

The combination was familiar to her after nine years. She didn't pay the slightest bit of attention as she spun the lock left past zero, right to thirty-nine, left to one, and right to twenty-three. She knew the position of each number, but could no longer recall the numbers themselves. The only constant in her life for nine years and she couldn't remember it.

Faith tugged on the lock, opened her locker door, and secured the lock before beginning her end of shift routine: Gun on shelf, gun belt on hook, unbutton shirt, hang up shirt. Left foot on bench, untie left shoe, repeat with right foot and shoe, place shoes on bottom of locker. Stretch, yawn, remove pants, pull on off duty pants. Glance at Bosco, put on off duty shirt, remove off duty shoes from locker, sit down and put on -- left foot first.

It was a warm spring evening, so Faith was able to skip the jacket step. After grabbing her purse, she closed her locker and was on the way to the door when Bosco called, "Hey, want a ride home?"

She adjusted her purse strap and pushed a stray piece of hair out of her face. "No, I'm going to go to the bar and have a drink with some of the guys," she said.

Bosco tapped his locker shut with his foot and stood. "Do you want me to tag along?" he asked, his eyes travelling from her too-high platform sandals to the too-short hem of her denim skirt to the too-low neckline of her shirt. He hated when she dressed like that, which was all too often since her divorce had been finalized.

"I'm a grown woman," she stated, but her eyes were what told him everything. She appreciated his concern, but it was getting tiresome. He was trying to become an older brother figure, but she already had Stanley. Thankfully, he was in Connecticut and completely in the dark about every element of her life. Perhaps Bosco would appreciate bus fare.

"Yeah, I can see that. You don't do much to hide it."

"Don't start, Bosco. I don't want a God damn lecture; I just want to go have a few drinks with some friends." She turned back to the door and, hand resting on it, said, "I'm going out now. If you have any sense at all, I won't see you until three o'clock tomorrow afternoon."

***

Faith yawned and gave a catlike stretch, kicking the comforter off the bed in the process. She nudged the sleeping body next to her and smiled as she propped herself up on her elbow. "Hey, it's noon," she said when bleary eyes stared up at her.

"Aw, hell," DK said. He swung his legs over the edge of the bed, suddenly wide awake. He stood and began collecting his clothes from the floor, the dresser, and several other surfaces.

Faith smiled to herself when she heard the bathroom door shut. "DK," she called, feeling it would be easier to say this without looking him in the eye, "last night was nice and I don't regret it, but it was only last night, all right? I needed that and I'm really glad I --"

DK stepped out of the bathroom, looking handsomely unkempt in his wrinkled clothing. "Hey, don't worry about it," he said with a shrug. "It was all I wanted, too. See you around, Yokas."

She listened to his footsteps and the slamming door as he left her apartment -- her new, post-divorce apartment -- and wondered if she was supposed to feel relieved or used. She decided to feel nothing and climbed out of bed, resolving to tidy the apartment before leaving for work.

***

Bosco kicked his locker shut, completing what he called The End of Shift Routine. He began another routine -- The Invite Faith for a Drink Routine -- which he didn't use as often. He wanted to prove to her that he wasn't angry for what she'd said to him the previous day and that he knew he had crossed the line, but was willing to make it up to her. "Want to go grab a drink?" he asked, watching as she put on her shoes, left foot first.

Faith's head snapped up and she smiled. She opened her mouth to accept the invitation, but that wasn't part of her routine. "No, I'm beat," she said, choosing the familiar response. She put on her right shoe, a comfortable sneaker that was a far cry from last night's sandals.

"All right, then," he said, putting his hands in his pockets. He wasn't sure what to do. She'd left out the part of the routine where she teased him about picking up an unsuspecting virgin or where she told him to have a drink for her. "See you tomorrow," he said, the words feeling awkward on his tongue because they came without his cue.

He walked the familiar path to Haggerty's and entered to see some of the boys from the fire house sitting at the bar, talking animatedly.

"And so I says, 'So, maybe you want to break in that new bed?' We were out of there in no time flat. We didn't even make it to the bedroom the first time and I'm willing to bet she's got some real nice bruises from that wall."

DK's words carried across the bar, making it hard for Bosco not to hear. He couldn't help but wonder why Faith hadn't ranted disgustedly about DK's antics. After all, she must have been present for them because she'd stayed until the bar closed and DK had been one of the guys she said she was meeting. Curious to hear more of the story, Bosco walked over to the bar, ordered a beer, and made himself comfortable.

"Sounds like you really made out, DK," commented Jimmy.

"You don't know the half of it, brother." DK grinned and took a sip of his beer. He was enjoying the attention and it was clear they'd have to ask if they wanted to hear any additional details.

"So, tell us," Bosco spoke up, leaning toward the group. "How many times?"

DK smirked. "I lost count." Gesturing to Bosco with his mostly empty glass, he said, "You really should know these things, with her having been your girl and all. Oh, man, how did you let her get away? Those eyes, that body.... I'll bet you couldn't keep up. She's got an appetite, I'll give you that. Whatever happened, thank you from the bottom of my heart."

"Try lower." Walsh's words were met with hearty laughter and Bosco was glad for the distraction. He quietly slipped off to the bathroom, needing a chance to think of a way to find out who they were talking about without sounding like an idiot.

He stood in front of the mirror, resting both his hands on the edge of the dirty white sink, staring down into it as if he would find the woman's name there. "Tracey?" he wondered aloud. "No, couldn't be her. I wasn't with her long enough for anyone to know. Maybe Nicole -- but then, who would take time to notice her eyes? Besides, she doesn't hang around places like this and Faith would have mentioned seeing her." He looked up and found his answer in the form of a phone number that had never been on the wall before.

"God damn it!" he swore as he turned the water on and reached for a brown paper towel. I must look like some sort of idiot, he thought as he attempted to scrub the number from the wall. Realizing there was no way to remove all of it, he concentrated on smearing the last two digits so no one could read it. He had only known the phone number for less than a year, but there was no mistaking it -- it was Faith's.

Satisfied that the blue ink was sufficiently smudged, he stalked out of the bathroom, roughly tossing the wet paper towel in the trash. The several groups of patrons that stood between him and the bar parted like the Red Sea before Moses as he stormed over to where DK sat.

"You son of a bitch," he growled, grabbing the unsuspecting man by the shirt. His fist connected solidly with DK's nose before the other man could even yelp in surprise. Before Bosco could take another swing, DK had recovered enough to deliver a sharp kick to Bosco's shin. Bosco was bringing his arm back, preparing to throw another punch, but Jimmy grabbed him and pulled him away, just as Walsh pulled DK in the opposite direction.

"What the hell is your problem?" Jimmy asked as Bosco struggled to reach DK. Jimmy shoved Bosco toward the door and stepped over to DK and Walsh, making it clear that it would be four against one if Bosco continued.

"You son of a bitch," he repeated, backing toward the door. "Don't you _ever_ talk about my partner like that again. I swear -- I swear to God I'll fucking kill you." He flung the door open and stormed off to his car.

***

During their break which they were taking under the bridge, it was so silent in the squad car that Faith could hear Bosco's soda fizzing happily. Several times she had tried to get him to talk, but he seemed to be angry about something that only he understood. She knew that he was best left alone when he was in one of these moods. Picking up a French fry, she studied it, not really interested in eating it.

Bosco crumpled up his napkin and threw it onto the dashboard, taking a few moments to watch Faith eat the remainder of her burger. "So, did you and DK have fun?" he asked, his voice carrying his annoyance.

She dropped the soggy fry onto the silver burger wrapper that sat on her lap. "What?" she asked, trying to keep her tone level.

"I said, 'Did you and DK have fun?' Are you getting hard of hearing on me?" He looked at her, his stormy blue eyes burning holes through her.

Annoyed, she crumpled up her wrapper and threw it onto the dash as well. "Oh, no, I heard you all right. I just didn't believe that you asked me that. Bosco, you're not in charge of my life. I can see whoever the hell I want." She reached for the door handle, wondering if he ever grew tired of being a hypocrite. All he seemed to have were one night stands and that was fine, but if _she_ had so much as one...

"So what? You're just going to sleep your way around, put out for any guy who wants it? That's how they were talking about you -- like you were some common whore." He climbed out of the car, watching as she began walking briskly away. Raising his voice, he called, "I stood up for you, you know. I knew you weren't the precinct slut, but when I went home and had the time to think, I didn't know it anymore. I don't know what you've turned into, Faith, but it's...it's unbecoming."

She paused, but didn't turn to face him. "'Unbecoming,'" she repeated with a bitter laugh. "You're the only one who seems to think so. If you think that's unbecoming, you'd better brace yourself for this one: Fuck you, Bosco." She resumed walking, trampling ugly green weeds under her polished black shoes.

"You're just going to walk away, huh? I guess I should have expected that, though, since you always take the easy way out when it comes to your personal life. You aren't as tough as you want everyone to believe. Maybe the role of a submissive whore was made for you after all."

Faith kept walking.

"What's the matter, Faith?" he continued, seeing he was getting no reaction from her. He decided to up the ante. "Afraid you're going to end up with my cock pounding into you?"

She scoffed, turning back to him quickly enough to cause whiplash. "Afraid? Oh, no," she said, walking back to him and allowing the silence to hang between them until she stood well inside his personal space. "I'm a whore, remember? I probably _want_ it."

He didn't flinch at the invasion of his space. "And if not," he began, leaving the ending unspoken. His eyes said everything.

"And if not," she repeated, running her hands over his chest, "we know you wouldn't have the balls to rape me." She shoved him just enough to make him step backward.

"Theft of services -- you're a whore, remember?"

She gave a displeased grunt and turned away, retracing her earlier steps. "Fuck you," she said again, this time emphasizing it by giving him the finger over her shoulder.

Her tone, so even and unaffected, caused Bosco to snap. He ran after her, quickly catching her and knocking her to the ground. They struggled, getting brownish dirt and green weeds all over their crisp navy blue uniforms as he pinned her down and slapped his handcuffs onto her wrists. "And we know you'd be too humiliated to tell," he said, breathing heavily.

"Now who's the deaf one? I said I want this, so come on and do it, Bosco." She stared up at him, her face expressionless.

He reached down and removed her gun belt before roughly untucking her shirt and began to unbutton it. He was down to the second last button when he suddenly stood up, towering above her. "Get up," he said, disgusted.

She gave an amused snort as she pulled herself to her feet, a task made slightly challenging by her cuffed hands. "I knew you were all talk." She thrust her hands at him, watching as he unlocked the handcuffs.

"And I was hoping you were, too." Even the jingling of the handcuffs sounded sad. "What happened to you, Faith? Do you have a shred of self-respect left? I thought...I thought I knew you, man. Hell, I like to think I still do and that this isn't you. But if this is the new Faith Yokas, Faith Mitchell, or whatever you're calling yourself...if it is, I don't _want_ to know you."

Faith stood there, rubbing her wrists and staring at her dirtied shoes and the stones on the ground. She didn't move or speak in the time it took Bosco to get back to the car and open his door.

"Get in the squad," he said coldly, slamming his door shut.

He's got to be kidding me, Faith thought as she passed the squad car and began walking in the direction of the precinct. She was going to be exhausted when she returned, but there was no way in hell she was going to sit in a confined space with Bosco. It wasn't that she was afraid of him; it was that she was afraid she'd kill him. Walking would not only prevent that from happening, but it would help her calm down.

"She's kidding me," Bosco muttered, starting the engine and driving after Faith. He slowed the car to a crawl so he drove alongside the sidewalk she was on. Rolling down his window, he said, "Are you so convinced that you're right that you're actually going to walk back to the precinct?"

She didn't bother to turn her head. "No, I'm that convinced that _you're_ wrong."

"You screwed half the precinct," he hissed loudly.

This time Faith did look at him. "It was one guy, Bosco! You, on the other hand, have screwed half the female population of New York. You should give your own offences some thought before you go throwing stones, lover boy."

"That was different," he protested.

"It was different, huh? Why was it so different? No, wait; let me guess -- that old double standard." She sighed and shook her head. Quieter but no less upset, she continued with, "That was what I always liked about you, Bosco. You never treated me different because I'm a woman. Not one 'honey' ever came out of your mouth; you never said you thought I couldn't handle something.... I guess that's all changed now, since I slept with _one_ guy and became the precinct slut."

"Faith, it isn't like that."

"It is from where I'm standing." She quickened her pace.

Applying more pressure to the gas, Bosco kept up with her. "Then maybe you should get your ass in the car," he hollered, and several passers-by turned to stare. "You got a problem?" he asked loudly, and they returned to what they had been doing. Whatever happened to odd things being run of the mill for New York City? he thought.

"Yeah, because you talking like that really makes me want to."

"What do you want me to say, Faith, huh? Do you want me to say that I'm jealous and the thought of some other guy with his hands on you not only makes me want to shoot him but also makes me ill? If you want me to say it, I will."

"Jealous?" She stopped dead in her tracks.

He slammed on the brakes, as much as one could when driving at three miles an hour. "Yes, Faith, I'm jealous. Jealous as in I love you, but I'm not sleeping with you, and if I can't have you, I don't want anyone else to. Yeah, I'm jealous. So please get in the car and let's finish this shift. When we go back to the precinct, you can request a new partner or whatever you want, but for now, just let's finish the shift, okay?"

"You love me."

"Yes, I love you. Get in the car," he growled, just waiting for her to break into laughing fit.

She didn't say another word until she walked in front of the RMP, opened the door, and slid into her seat. "You love me. So...can I drive?" She sounded uncertain, the first three words said incredulously and an unnaturally long pause before saying the last three words as if they were one.

"I love you. You can drive." At least she isn't laughing, he thought, getting out of the car and walking around as Faith slid over into the driver's seat. "So, where are we going?" he asked, once he was safely inside. He just hoped she wasn't lulling him into a false since of security before shooting him and dumping his body into the East River.

***

A few minutes later, they pulled up in front of the firehouse. They climbed out of the car, Bosco following Faith as she walked inside and climbed the stairs.

"Hey, Yokas, Bosco," Carlos greeted, looking up from the run sheet he was filling out. "What's up?"

Faith didn't look at him and it wasn't until she walked through the kitchen and into the main room that Bosco realized her target. He cringed, glad there were paramedics at hand. It was going to be ugly, but he wasn't about to stop her.

"Hey, DK," Faith said seductively as she came up behind him. Before he could respond, she grabbed him by the shoulders and spun him around, kneeing him in the groin.

His eyes grew wide and he dropped to his knees, all but shrieking in pain. The others leapt from their seats, hurrying over to him as Bosco stood there and watched.

"Make me out to be some sort of slut again," she threatened, "and I'm using my gun. Got it?"

Carlos looked up from where he'd been leaning over DK. "Are you going to let her get away with that?" he asked Bosco. "Arrest her!"

Bosco looked at Carlos, disbelief written clearly across his face. "Are you _stupid_?"

Faith let out a mildly amused snort before she stormed through the kitchen, down the stairs, and didn't stop until she'd slammed the door of the squad shut with Bosco still following closely. She turned the car around and pulled into one of the RMP parking spaces by the precinct. The clock said their shift was over and Faith wasn't going to argue.

***

Faith slid her foot into the same too-high sandals from two days earlier before grabbing her purse and shutting her locker door. She walked over to Bosco and stood a little too close to him as he finished buttoning his shirt.

"Uh, hi there," he said, noticing her. He shuffled back a bit, but she followed.

"Hi." She smiled.

This wasn't routine, he thought. It almost was, but not quite. "So, you...you want to go for dinner? I kind of ruined our break earlier and neither of us got to eat much." Again, it was almost routine. The difference an inch of space or a single word could make was amazing.

"Sure," she responded. Perhaps they were creating a new routine.

He smiled and walked to the locker room door, opening it for her. She didn't move from her place, causing him to frown. "Faith?" he asked. "Are we all right?"

"Yeah," she said, almost laughing as she hurried out the door, "we're all right, Boz."

Bosco followed her, feeling much better than he had since Faith's divorce. He cocked his head as he watched her walk, carefully studying how she looked in the same denim skirt and the same sandals he'd disproved of two days earlier. Now that he knew he had no reason to be jealous, he decided he liked the look. So, maybe she did look like a hooker -- it was only a little bit. "So, since we're all right and all...want to have sex?"

Faith, who had just reached the door, stopped to look at him. "You're such a pig," she stated, not at all annoyed. Her eyes danced with mischief, something that had been missing for a long time.

"So, is that a yes?"

Her eyes answered for her, pleasing him greatly.


End file.
